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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

New Zen Ray ZEN ED 2 Spotter in hand (1 Viewer)

Steve C

Steve C

Well-known member
There has been some posting of this on the binocular forum. Not quite sure of just how it got there and why the mods didn't move it here. Henry Link also has one of these enroute and at Henry's suggestion we will post further here, in the spotting scope section. I look forward to Henry's observations.

I just got a 20-60x80 angled ED yesterday. Nowhere enough time for much of a review yet, but as chance might have it I got several PM's from another forum yesterday wondering if I'd seen one of these yet. Since there has been some wondering about these, I refer everybody to the Zen Ray Spotter thread in the binocular sub forum.
 
Steve:

Thanks for the additional information (posted under Binoculars). Interchangable EP's is a big plus, hopefully the standard 1.25" telescopic EP format will work. Excellent quality EP's always improve any functioning optical instrument's resolution and it sounds like ZR spent the time (and $$) to develop a quality zoom EP. I am greatly looking forward to hearing your and HL's observations on the ZR's performance.

bearclawthedonut
 
OK here is a few pictures.
 

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My test scope arrived this afternoon. I won't have any opportunity to really examine it until Monday, but I can put a few questions to rest now.

It doesn't accept 1.25" eyepieces and doesn't have the Synta M35 or Zeiss M45 threads. The bayonet is a dead ringer for the Swarovski bayonet. I'll check with Charles before I attempt to put a Swarovski eyepiece on it. The mounting foot fits into the Manfrotto 128RC, but it's turned 90 degrees compared to the Swarovski foot so the scope points sideways if the foot is inserted directly into the 128RC. Of course the Manfrotto quick release plate can always be used and I think there are some other Manfrotto heads with this orientation that could take the foot directly, but I'm not sure which ones. More on Monday or Tuesday.

Henry
 
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Steve:

Thanks for the photos, especially the EP and mounting plate photos.

Henry:

Thanks for the clarification on the EP's and the mounting plate. Too bad it doesn't accept standard 1.25" EP's. As I now have six 1.25" EP's, when I get a bigger scope (mine is a PF-65); I will want something that can utilize my existing EP's. I guess it's back to dreaming about a T-85. Still, I'll look forward to hearing your and Steve's comments/review of the new ZR scope.

Thanks again.

bearclawthedonut
 
henry link said:
It doesn't accept 1.25" eyepieces and doesn't have the Synta M35 or Zeiss M45 threads. The bayonet is a dead ringer for the Swarovski bayonet. I'll check with Charles before I attempt to put a Swarovski eyepiece on it. The mounting foot fits into the Manfrotto 128RC, but it's turned 90 degrees compared to the Swarovski foot so the scope points sideways if the foot is inserted directly into the 128RC.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the scope bayonet info, Henry.

So does the Manfrotto foot orientation match the 701RC2 (or 700RC) orientations (which is 90 degrees rotated from the 128RC)?
 
Looks like Henry might have a nice day Monday to check out the Zen-Ray spotter. Sunny,High 36°F , real feel 24°F. I think they have some snow on the ground so good conditions to check for CA.;)
 
Steve,

We had almost 7" of snow here, which in the South brings everything to a stop, like maybe the equivalent of two feet in Pennsylvania. Today I'm making delayed family visits instead of testing the scope. Back to that tomorrow I hope.

Henry
 
henry link said:
The mounting foot fits into the Manfrotto 128RC, but it's turned 90 degrees compared to the Swarovski foot so the scope points sideways if the foot is inserted directly into the 128RC. Of course the Manfrotto quick release plate can always be used and I think there are some other Manfrotto heads with this orientation that could take the foot directly, but I'm not sure which ones. More on Monday or Tuesday.

Henry
Click to expand...

I am confused. I have a manfrotto tripod. From what I can tell in the picture, the Zen ED2 spotter's mounting foot is flat at the bottom. The manfrotto head has some sort of positioning keys built-in. Not sure how a flat foot can fit in there.
 
Most of the grip in a Manfrotto plate is in the sloping sides but the sides of the foot don't seem to be sloped.

The positioning keys in a Manfrotto RC or RC2 plate are some missing sections on the plate. It actually varies with the head design which ones are used. Some heads don't use the keys at all others use them one way and some another. I have three heads or adapters here that are all slightly different in receiving a plate. I'd not noticed that before.

I do notice that in the shot of the foot the metal shape of the foot actually has the right keys (I think). Take a look at a Manfrotto RC plate then take a look at the photo of the ZR scope foot again. The ZR scope matches up with a long edge that "goes around the corners" at the top and the short edge that doesn't go to the corners. Just like a plate. You might have to remove the plastic base to match a tripod if you have that.

So how does it work on this scope?

Does it work with a 700RC2 or 701RC2?

How does Swaro (and the others) do this to match up with the plate and keep a plate base for other plates and tripod heads?
 
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NWBirder:

The hard rubber/plastic (?) insert apparently is removable as the photo on ZR's website shows the mounting plate (viewed from above) with the keys visible, thus with the insert removed. Steve' s excellent photo shows the configuration of these keys. They certainly do not seem to match the keys that are on the bottom of my 701hdv quick release plate. As HL suggested with the insert in place (creating a flat bottom) almost any QR plate can be utilized.

To me, the chief benefit of direct attachment of a scope to a head is removing one layer of possible movement/vibration.

bearclawthedonut
 
bearclawthedonut said:
NWBirder:

The hard rubber/plastic (?) insert apparently is removable as the photo on ZR's website shows the mounting plate (viewed from above) with the keys visible, thus with the insert removed. Steve' s excellent photo shows the configuration of these keys.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.

bearclawthedonut said:
They certainly do not seem to match the keys that are on the bottom of my 701hdv quick release plate. As HL suggested with the insert in place (creating a flat bottom) almost any QR plate can be utilized.
Click to expand...

They match the 200PL (as you can see from the photos of the base of the plate)

http://www.manfrotto.com/product/0/200PL-14/_/Rectangular_Plate_with_14'_screw

not the 501PL

http://www.manfrotto.com/product/0/501PL/_/Video_Camera_Plate

Manfrotto has multiple QR plate styles.

http://www.manfrotto.com/search?q=plate&x=0&y=0

bearclawthedonut said:
To me, the chief benefit of direct attachment of a scope to a head is removing one layer of possible movement/vibration.
Click to expand...

IMHO, it removes the chance of the scope rotating and any chance of the two coming separated and falling off. I don't see much vibration reduction on a properly tightened plate.
 
Hi Henry, I was sort of tongue in cheek.It Looked rough down there and Surveyor said he could do without the snow they got.;) I lived in Baltimore County Md. as a kid and remember a little snow was a major thing there and can understand what you say. BTW we had a few snow flurries, nothing on the ground.

henry link said:
Steve,

We had almost 7" of snow here, which in the South brings everything to a stop, like maybe the equivalent of two feet in Pennsylvania. Today I'm making delayed family visits instead of testing the scope. Back to that tomorrow I hope.

Henry
Click to expand...
 
Kevin Purcell said:
Thanks for the scope bayonet info, Henry.

So does the Manfrotto foot orientation match the 701RC2 (or 700RC) orientations (which is 90 degrees rotated from the 128RC)?
Click to expand...

By comparing the keys on the scope foot to a 200PL plate which has the lens direction marked on it with an arrow the answer, I think, is no.

With the large key at the top and the short key at the bottom (like Steve's photo of the foot) the objective should be on the left. But following the color scheme it looks like the objective is on the right.

It's backwards for the 700 and 701 heads.
 
In my photo of the foot, the objective is on the right. On this mount, the small silver insert is a standard 1/4" thread. Remove that insert and you have a 3/8" standard thread.

So far I have found a good as new Kowa TSN 883 88mm ED for comparison. I won't have it for a couple of days. I have the cold from hell and we're supposed to be headed for single digit temperature and maybe a foot of snow on the way. So I may not have much for awhile. I also have a new Theron MAG 82 25-75x82 ED scope (plus a couple of their ED binoculars) on the way too.

Looking at at least one other reputable spotter as well. Santa did buy the Swarovski that was at the local dealer for somebody for Christmas, so that one is out.
 
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I am interested to know which EP can be used in ZenRay if I understood well Swaro but it is not sure . SOmebody have an idea
thanks
 
Swarovski eyepieces will fit but I was told by Zen-Ray that the dimensions of the bayonets are slightly different, so they advise against trying Swarovski eyepieces as damage to the scope or eyepiece could result. No other eyepieces will fit, but I think an adapter for 1.25" eyepieces could be done similar the one Swarovski used to make..
 
The bayonet doesn´t look all that different from Kowa´s 82 series eyepieces..a three teeth bayonet as well...cant tell if the size is right,possible though..Here is a reference picture of a 824 Kowa x32 WA
 

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bearclawthedonut said:
NWBirder:

The hard rubber/plastic (?) insert apparently is removable as the photo on ZR's website shows the mounting plate (viewed from above) with the keys visible, thus with the insert removed. Steve' s excellent photo shows the configuration of these keys. bearclawthedonut
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation. If the rubber base can be removed, the tripod foot probably can server as a quick-release plate itself judging from the picture.
 
There's going to be a delay in my testing. My unit is either defective or was damaged in transit. Charles is sending another one, but it probably won't be here until next week.
 
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